Hidden Meanings
by Crazee Pyro
Summary: A sudden threat from the Akatsuki sends Shikamaru down a vortex of danger, deceit, and even worse--war. As he attempts to protect Sunaga from the dreaded clutches of evil, he'll have to push his smarts to the utmost limit to keep from sure defeat.ShikaTem
1. Prologue

**Hidden Meanings**

**Sorry if this chappie is a bit short for your interest, but hey, it is a prologue, right? Anyway, I've always enjoyed suspenseful stories that keep you on the edge of your seats, waiting for more. So this is my first attempt at actually writing one.**

**Disclaimer: All Naruto copyrights belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

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**Prologue**

Night was just falling, giving the hidden dojo an eerie glow. Well concealed in the thick woods, darkness only helped in aiding the approaching ninja.

The swords house had just one light on in the small fighting area. But from the outside, only the well trained would notice any light at all emanating from the dojo. As the sun totally set behind the horizon, blurs of black were seen streaking through the dense forest toward the abandoned house, only used for "special" occasions.

The one-floored dojo was surrounded in overgrown weeds and ferns, better hiding it from the outside world. The shingles on the slightly sloped roof were cracked and falling off- a hazard to anyone who dared to walk under it. Rickety and fragile, the old house seemed to sway back and forth in the bitter, cold wind on this night, seeming as if the only things holding it up were the old beams keeping the ceiling from collapsing at any moment - not as if they would give out soon, also.

All of the windows were shattered, an obvious act of a once active gang. Like the busted, smashed beer bottle on the front porch, the young gang's lives had also been destroyed when the rest of the Akatsuki found out who was causing the damage. No one was allowed to know about this place.

The sound ninja silently whooshed through the woods, closing the distance between them and the dojo, a growing sense of dread falling on them as the night's darkness fell firmly on their shoulders. Their acute hearing senses told them that all of the Akatsuki were approaching the small, old house from all angles. Catching sight of the dojo, the two abruptly stopped as a chilled shiver raced down their backs. No matter how many times they had gone to one of these meetings, they'd never gotten used to the distinct feeling of horror while within even a mile radius of **him**.

They stared at the dojo in discomfort; they could still turn back, and run to the safety of their village…but **he** would know. If there was one thing the two had learned under his control, was that weakness was not tolerated. If they ran, they would both be dead before the end of the night. The Akatsuki were known as the strongest of all ninja, ones that weren't afraid of anything. But little did anyone know, being and Akatsuki wasn't all fun and games. The grueling missions you had to go through in order for **him** to even consider you as an option of being one of his minions were deadly even before starting them. Oh, how much blood they'd all lost, and shed, trying to reach such a high rank. Becoming an Akatsuki was like signing your own death contract; you couldn't go back. Ever.

No, the sound ninja couldn't turn back; it would mean the end of not only their lives, but also most of their village. So with gulping down their regrets, the two leapt forward, into the immense pressure of **his** presence. Crunching through the layer of broken glass on the porch, the two stepped through the door, into the dojo that seemed to seal their fate.

As they reached the open swords room, the rest of the intense-looking ninja look up, glaring at the two. They all sat around a long rectangular table, a single candle flickering from one side to the other, depending on the ninjas' breath. The small fire on the wick burned, the wax gathering at the bottom of the candle, melting onto the table. Its small light was insufficient to illuminate the room of silent Akatsuki. Though their tough facades were menacing, each one held their own degree of fear, apprehension, waiting for **him** to make his appearance.

"You're late," a dark sinister voice spoke from the far, shadowy corner of the room. All heads turned to face the red-haired man coming toward the table.

Even in the small-lit room, only half of his face was visible, revealing piercing black eyes, flaming orange surrounding his large, inky pupils filled with hatred and blood lust. His mouth was drawn into a hard line, adding to the glare toward the two sound ninja who had just arrived.

Not daring to make a sound in **his** presence, the two froze under his harsh look.

Suddenly, without warning, a smile breaks through his demeaning look. "Well what are you waiting for? Sit down." His cold voice not matching the smile on his face. They immediately obeyed, but cautiously.

They knew that smile. **He** only smiled when he was extremely angry; and that seemed to be happening a lot more lately. The only thing they could do when he was angry was to stay silent…and hope he didn't do anything rash. Last time, one of their elite members was killed by his bare hands. So yes, all in the room were as silent and as motionless as ninja could be, almost disappearing into the shadows of the room.

Even more quickly was his smile gone. Everyone held their breath as his clenched fists uncoiled and rested on the table, palms down; he stood still, looking at each of them at the same time. The silence was suffocating in **his** presence. Everyone in these meetings just tried to make it out alive. He was the only one who could send fear coursing through these top ninja's veins.

Leader.

"I think you all know why I called you here today," Leader began slowly. "You know why Konoha was attacked months ago. I must say that Orochimaru had a very good idea: to take over the village." Leader spoke, sweeping his hate-filled eyes over all present in the room. "And I began thinking. The Akatsuki needs something more suitable than this _shack_ to call headquarters. We deserve better. Don't we?" He brought his fist down on the table with a loud bang, nearly knocking over the fragile candle. "Konoha proved that they weren't going down without a fight. It would be almost impossible to take over it with the amount of ninja protecting force and Black Ops they have. Why not try our luck with Sunagakure?" He spoke the question with finality, not expecting an answer. "It's large and full of people that we can eventually turn into our followers. And if they resist, we annihilate them. Simple enough?" he asked. They all nodded in agreement, fearing any other response.

"How exactly are we going to take over Sunaga? Even though there are less ninja in it than Konoha, Gaara might be a bit of a problem. He isn't exactly one we can just push over. He'll protect his village at any cost," a braver one asked.

"I've already thought of that. We, Akatsuki, don't have to do everything ourselves - this is why we have subordinates." Leader glared at the one who spoke.

The Akatsuki shivered as a cold gust of wind whistled through the shattered windows of the dojo.

"We could make it seem like someone else is invading the village and then attack when they're least expecting it. A decoy," one of the sound Akatsuki thought aloud.

Leader turned to the ninja, a surprised glint in his black eyes. "…You've redeemed yourself. If you'd not said that just now, you and your other sound buddy over there would be dead within the hour. No one walks into my meetings late without paying for it. But, I think I can spare you. Your idea may prove to be very helpful in my plan," he said, staring at the two at the opposite end of the long table. "For that, I'll put the Sound Village in charge of the decoy part. This starts tomorrow morning at dawn. We strike in one week."

The superior ninja's eyes ran over his subjects. "Look at your uniforms." Leader ordered. One by one, each of them glanced over the familiar, matching clothing. Their long kimonos were baggy and mostly black, small blood red flower petals decorating the bottom of the sleeves and where the material reached their ankles. The high collar hid most of their faces, leaving only their eyes and above peering over the top. "This means that we are each other's family. No one takes over us. We must stop this hiding and slinking around in the shadows. When this operation is over, we will finally be recognized with the respect that we deserve. We'll have our own village to organize our missions in. The citizens of Sunaga will be ours to control. Our name, Akatsuki, says it all. 'Red Moon'. We aren't afraid to shed a little blood to get where we want. Isn't that right?" The members all nodded, yet again, a new sense of determination rising on their faces.

"Who cares if a few people end up dead in the process? I repeat: no one pushes us over." Leader, in one swift motion, knocked the candle over, lighting the old shredded curtains up in licking fire. In a matter of seconds, the entire dojo seemed to be engulfed in flames and smoke, but Leader and the rest stood there, serenely, in the heated light. "One week…and guys…don't let me down." Leader said, and edge to his voice as he leapt through the weak roof, the others following the same way.

They all parted outside, leaping through the trees toward their separate villages. The two sound ninja jumped quickly, but gracefully, toward their home, thinking all the way of how the sound village would launch yet another attack with only one day's notice. It was certain that the two wouldn't get any sleep tonight - there were too many last minute details to work out before tomorrow. If they were lucky, maybe their attack would spread through the entire Sand village, just like the candle's flame in the dojo tonight, taking up everything in its path, leaving no trace that there ever was a Sunagakure.

Only unlike last time in Konoha, the sound ninja were determined not to fail.

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	2. First Move

**Hey, everyone. I'm sorry this has taken me like a half a year to update. But I'm hoping to be posting on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. I have a lot of plans, so please keep reading!**

**Disclaimer: All Naruto copyrights belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

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**First Move**

_Tmp…whoosh. Tmp…whoosh._

Air flew past the two ninja as they stealthily, but quickly leapt through the trees, branch by branch. As they lost momentum, they weightlessly dropped to the next tree limb, lightly touching it with the toe of their shoe, and pushing off with just enough force to propel them back into midair.

Shikamaru sighed, a bored scowl reaching his face. His raven hair was pulled up into a spiky ponytail while his open, waist-length jacket flapped back in the force of the wind. His headband bearing the symbol of his Leaf village was worn out of uniform on his upper left bicep where his short-sleeve covered. Under the vest was a black-netted undershirt, and black rolled up pants hung from his torso to below his knees.

He rolled his eyes to himself. "How did I get talked into this one?"

**Flashback**

Shikamaru sat cross-legged at the kitchen table across from his dad. The two were almost identical, except for the slight height difference between father and son. The elder's face held years of wisdom, showing his previous fights through the scars across his cheek and forehead. Both were hunched over a game of Shoji, a strategy game that only the smartest of people could win. His dad was sorely losing as Shikamaru, a sheer genius, had him right where he wanted.

At first, he had grudgingly agreed to stay home his dad when his mother went shopping, knowing that she wanted Shikamaru to 'baby-sit' him again. But after starting the game, the knobs and wheels in Shikamaru's head began to spin in lightning fast motions as he planned move after move before it was even his turn. His dad, also good at strategic games, was somewhat of a good match for him. But little did he know that he was walking right into his son's well-devised snare.

The whole house was silent as the elder of the two tried to move one of his pieces on the board, then stopped, realizing that he was entrapped. His dad sighed again and stared at the board. Shikamaru laughed inwardly. Now if only he could take his last turn…then the game would be over.

Suddenly, he heard running footsteps coming toward the front door. Whoever it was, he or she didn't seem to be able to run very well. The footsteps were short and quick, not covering very much distance. Shikamaru hoped whoever it was wouldn't interrupt his game. All of a sudden, the Nara's front door slid open with a slam.

"Shikamaru!" a woman with short black hair panted as she leaned against the doorframe. She wore a formfitting kimono, reaching her shins - no wonder she wasn't able to run very quickly. "You've got to come quick!"

Even from where the raven-haired teen sat, he knew who the lady was without turning around. Shikamaru slowly yawned and stretched, finally standing to face the visitor. "What is it, Shizune?" he asked boredly, the insistence in her voice not raising any amount of concern in his demeanor.

Shizune stared up at the teen with a small scowl. "Try to at least look like you care, Shikamaru," she shook her head. "Lady Tsunade called for you just a few minutes ago. It sounded urgent."

Shikamaru sighed dully. "Can't it wait? I'm in the middle of a game."

"Son, the Hokage of our village called for you. You could give her the respect she deserves by at least showing up." The elder Nara spoke for the first time in an hour, though his eyes still were trained on the game board in front of him.

Shikamaru looked from his father then back to Tsunade's comrade and sighed again in resignation. Shizune looked up at the younger boy a smirk of triumph.

"Seriously, Shikamaru. You know how she gets when she gets impatient. By now, she should be wondering where you are," Shizune said, her eyes changing back to her worried look. Shikamaru stared down at her, finally realizing that this seemed at least a little serious.

He rolled his eyes. "Ok, ok. You don't need to rush me." He yawned again, and finally trudged toward the door. With one last look at his dad, he hoped he wouldn't finish the game without him. He still had that one last move to make until it would be officially over. The older Nara rose one hand in salutation as the door closed behind the two.

Shizune jumped off through the town, as fast as she could in her kimono, Shikamaru following not far behind with not much vigor. The two were headed toward the central building where the village's Hokage was waiting.

"What's this all about, Shizune?" he asked.

Shizune still stared forward, her attention on the large building looming ahead. "I'm not really sure. All I heard was something about the Village Hidden in the Sand."

Shikamaru thought for a moment. "What does that have to do with me?" he wondered aloud.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

_At the building_

In the middle room, Tsunade sat on the edge of her desk, her gaze focused intently on a blonde teenage girl standing in front of her. "I can assure you, Temari. We'll send you back with today with an exceptional ninja." Temari's worried face relaxed a bit as she heard this. Suddenly, the two heard footsteps ringing out in the hall. "And here he is." Tsunade turned to the door as it burst open, Shizune and Shikamaru coming in.

As Temari caught sight of the raven-haired teen, she froze and a look of indignation rose up on her face. "What?! You call him exceptional?" she exclaimed as she whirled around to face the Hokage. "Sure, maybe he can think up strategies, but what makes you think he won't give up in the middle of battle when it really counts? My village doesn't need a slacker to put their trust in."

Shikamaru frowned as she referred back to their battle in the final round of the Chunin Exam. He was definitely not expecting this greeting when he entered the Hokage's office. "What the heck is going on?" he asked, looking from Tsunade to Temari, frowning uncertainly.

"Lady Tsunade, what's Temari doing here? And what are you talking about: being exceptional and strategies?" Shizune said in confusion as she took her place next to her mistress.

Tsunade turned to face the two teenagers. "Shikamaru Nara, you've been chosen to accompany Temari back to the Village of Sand. It's been brought to our attention that their village is about to be under attack, and they need reinforcements."

Shikamaru's mind reeled over the information that'd just been shared with him. Sunaga under attack? But what surprised him the most was that he'd been chosen to do anything when the fate of a village rested in his hands. Not many people would think of someone as lazy as him when their village was under attack. He'd be the first to admit that to anyone.

Shizune's brown eyes widened at the Hokage. "Reinforcements? Why? Who's attacking their village?"

Instead of Tsunade answering, Temari spoke. Her eyes darkened. "Orochimaru." Shizune gasped. Even Shikamaru's eyes widened at the mention of the pale complexioned, snake-like man. Rumors had been going around the village that he had threatened to take over Konoha when the three Legendary Sannin, including Tsunade, faced off before she became Hokage. Ever since, the entire village had been on guard for the stone-handed ninja and his partner, Kabuto, of the Land of Sound. But since the battle, no one had seen or heard of the villain. Until now.

"There have been a number of reports of suspicious-looking men walking through my village. Even more have been found dead. We have reason to believe that Orochimaru is about to strike. Our entire village could be wiped out in a matter of days if nothing is done to stop him." Temari shuddered at the thought.

"But Sunaga is a well-populated village. Can't they protect themselves against the small village of sound?" Shizune asked.

Tsunade spoke up, shifting in her seat on her desk. "Before the Chunin exams began, Orochimaru killed the Kazekage, wiping out many of Sunaga's elite jonin and chunin. He took the form of Lord Kazekage and went to the Chunin Exam's final round. And well, you know what happened after that." Tsunade paused before continuing. "Now, knowing that he won't be able to take over Konoha with me as Hokage, Orochimaru's trying at the second most populated village - Sunaga. This isn't the first time I've wished I took him out when I had the chance," Tsunade said, glaring down at the floor.

"But now we have another ninja to help protect us, Lady Tsunade. And you'll be sending more ninja over by the day until this war is over." Temari faced the Hokage.

Shikamaru finally spoke up. "Is anyone going to ask what my opinion is in all this?" Temari turned to face him, a glint in her blue eyes. "I didn't ask for this responsibility. I should be home playing Shoji right now. How do you know I even want to protect Sunaga?" he asked in exasperation, ignoring Temari's glare.

"Look, if it was me making this decision, you would be out of the question. But we need ninja to help my village, and you are whom Lady Tsunade has chosen," Tsunade answered dryly. "All of your buddies are out trying to find your precious Sasuke, right?"

Shikamaru's thoughts turned to his friends out searching for the young shinobi. He hadn't seen any of them in over a week. He was one of the only chunin left at home. This was probably why he was chosen, he reasoned.

Tsunade, as if reading his thoughts, said, "Though top ninja were wiped out in Sunaga, some of the strong ones still remain. We don't think it wise to send our jonin over just yet. But until the real attack starts, you are needed to help in preparations. You may be needed in the battlefield as well. You're a mastermind when it comes to thinking ahead in battle. The Sand village needs someone who can 'direct the troops', so to speak. Don't let Konoha or Sunaga down." The Hokage looked directly at the raven-haired teen.

Shikamaru weighed the information over in his head. He was apparently needed. And he didn't want to be the one to blame if an entire village was wiped out. He finally sighed. "All right. I'll go. But if I get bored, I will fall asleep."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure you don't," Temari glared at the slacker, obviously not trusting his skills at all.

**End Flashback**

Shikamaru let out a small groan. It wasn't that he didn't want Sunagakure to be protected. He just didn't want to be the one being sent out to protect it. But after thinking about it, he realized that soon, almost every shinobi and kunoichi would one way or another be defending the Village Hidden in the Sand. It was Konoha's duty to help its newly allied village. If one of their friends needed help, Konoha wouldn't give up until the enemies backed off. So essentially, his village was at war.

Shikamaru looked over at the sand kunoichi that was leaping agilely through the trees slightly ahead of him. Temari had on a long white jacket, slightly hanging off of her shoulders, netted shirt showing from underneath. The jacket went to about her mid-thigh, held in a red cloth around her slim waist. Black net covered her upper left leg while her lower left leg was also covered to her ankle. Temari's headband was tied loosely around her neck as her light blonde hair was held in 4 ponytails at different sides of her head, her bangs, parted in the middle, hanging in front of her forehead. Her eyes were focused dead ahead and her lips were pulled into a straight line, giving her face a grim expression as she gradually sped up, her village slowly coming into view. Shikamaru silently shuddered at the huge fan held on her back, attached to the red cloth around her waist. He couldn't help but remember its wind mercilessly slicing through trees and anything else in its path during their fight at the Final Round of the Chunin Exams. He'd barely survived that battle.

Shikamaru shifted under the weight of his backpack. "Jeez. What a drag. We have to travel all this way with a week's worth of supplies on my back. Has it occurred to you that Sunaga is the farthest village from Konoha?" he asked in annoyance.

Temari turned her head to face him, though the two continued leaping from tree to tree. "Hey, I'm not forcing you out here. Go home if you're so tired. It'd probably be much more peaceful without your constant complaining. Besides, we're almost - "

The two ninja stopped abruptly and automatically, their acute senses kicked into gear.

Shikamaru sniffed the air. "Crap," he mumbled.

They looked at each other. It was unmistakable.

Both recognized the distinct smell of blood in the air.

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**Tomo-chan is signing off, for now. But please review and tell me if you liked it. Chapter three should be coming soon…MUCH sooner than this one did.**


	3. Second Strike

**Ok, so it took me longer than expected to finish this chappie. But at least I'm making progress. I hope you enjoy this next part of my story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Naruto. But for the record, Lieutenant is under ****my**** control. XP**

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**Second Strike**

"Blood," Shikamaru said gravely. From the branches he and Temari were balancing on, they could see the tall buildings of Sunagakure lining the horizon, off in the distance. A towering wall of tightly packed sand loomed at least sixty feet high in the air, creating a makeshift barrier around the entire village. The only way inside was through a narrow entrance through the thick wall of granules. He wondered if this simple restraint could keep Sunaga from the treacherous clutches of Orochimaru.

Temari brought a finger to her lips, motioning for silence. Shikamaru obeyed, watching as she sensed motion from below on the forest's ground. Following her cerulean gaze, he too spotted the four jonin guards aimlessly loitering around the village's main passage. Sunaga definitely needed to improve its protection force if they were about to be plunged into the world of war as soon as he guessed. Four watchmen were a start, but they needed many more than that.

The blonde kunoichi noticed something different about their "security guards". She'd personally selected these jonin only weeks ago, seeing their skill in detection. If spies were to try to enter the village through this route, these guards would instantly identify their ulterior motives, annihilating them on the spot. But were these the same jonin she'd chosen? If anyone were to get within a hundred yards of the village passageway, they'd doubtlessly be alert, maybe even ready to slaughter if the approaching people were as close as Shikamaru and her were at this point. But…they weren't. These jonin were idly standing around, talking in hushed voices. One reached to itch the skin beneath his tall, thick collar. Sure, these ninja looked legit. But one thing was for sure. Something was definitely wrong.

Without another word, Temari averted to the left, racing off, barely touching each tree branch in her haste. Shikamaru sighed as he hitched his large backpack on his shoulder and followed. Seeing the alarm in Temari's eyes, he started to realize just what he was walking into. People's lives, the whole village's lives, were at stake.

Finally catching up to the girl, Shikamaru glanced at her questioningly. "The entrance was back there. Or did you miss it?" Shikamaru commented, shameless in his cogency.

Temari continued to look forward as the two proceeded to leap through the trees. Her pace did not change even though her eyes displayed repugnance toward Shikamaru's last wisecrack. "For your information, I know this wall like the back of my hand. My father created it." She shot a scornful look at the chunin beside her as they continued to leap. "There's a secret entrance right up ahead. We don't want to be spotted right now, if it can be helped."

Following her lead, Shikamaru lightly dropped to the dirt forest floor below with a soft thump. He followed Temari until the two reached a thin chasm in the wall of sand, no wider than a pocket dictionary, and no taller than a bedside table. Only a sliver of light could be seen from the other side of the wall through the void.

Shikamaru cast a look of disbelief in the kunoichi's direction. "Do you really expect us to fit through that?"

But Temari rolled her eyes with a scowl. "Trust me," she voiced evenly. And with that, she stepped sideways, eyes closed, through the crevice, giant fan and all. Shikamaru looked on in wonder as the sand, which formed the small gap, seemed to mold around her body, absorbing her as she stepped easily through to the other side.

This is scientifically impossible, Shikamaru thought. But he believed what he saw. And he certainly didn't doubt this was the work of the late Kazekage.

"Come on. Are you slacking off already?" Temari called from the other side of the dense wall. Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru proceeded forward, stepping through the sand. He could sense the chakra that had formed the ingenious barrier. As he finally came to the counter side, the desert sun shone down on him, warming his arms and face.

Well, that was painless, he thought. He'd have to remember this passage for a future resort of escape. It might be quite helpful in an effort of desperation if the fighting got too severe. Orochimaru would strike any day now. The village had to be ready if they were caught off-guard. Shikamaru looked down and saw that the luscious green forest had turned into a sea of golden, brown sand. Despite the endless clear blue skies and bright warm sun shining down on the two, he realized that this seemingly secure village was in fact in the face of pitch-black danger.

From their journey so far, Shikamaru had seen that Temari wasn't one of those people who talked nonstop about pointless things just to fill awkward silence - one of the things he could never understand about girls. She only seemed to speak when spoken to. And he was glad about that - not that he really cared. He couldn't stand it when people talked to him about information that didn't concern him. But nonetheless, she always seemed alert, almost no movement missing her swift gaze.

Still silent, they walked along, a soft breeze stirring some of the sand, until Sunaga's city loomed in front of them. Along the village's outskirts, Shikamaru noticed Temari's sigh of relief. The buildings were still upright, and no one was screaming. Everything seemed to be going about everyday tasks as if nothing abnormal was happening. The two slowed their pace at the sight of the peaceful village. But all of a sudden, a whirlwind of sand began twisting behind them, granules flying every which way, but all leading toward one location.

Without turning around, Temari said, "What is it, Gaara?"

When the sand finally quit circling around the younger teenager, Gaara fully appeared in front of the two. His outfit had changed from the last time Shikamaru had seen him. He had a crimson turtleneck and black pants on. His dark, wavy red hair was trimmed neatly, and on his forehead was the kanji word, love. Arms folded across his chest, Gaara's penetrating eyes stared at the two ninja. His beige sash was attached to an enormous gourd of sand on his back. As soon as the remaining particles of granular silica flew into the large vessel, he finally spoke.

"So this is whom Tsunade chose," he stated rather than questioned, his black-lined eyes not leaving the raven-haired teen. Under his gaze, Shikamaru internally gulped. Even though Gaara was a good two years younger than he was, there was a reason why his very presence demanded respect. He was known as the youngest kage the entire land had ever known. This very boy was possibly one of the strongest who'd lived. That alone was a good enough reason to appoint the prestigious position of Kazekage to a fourteen-year-old.

Temari nodded in response to her brother's question. "Honestly, I don't know if he'll be good enough. He complained the entire way here of how tired he was. We don't need an inattentive idiot as the one in control of our village's fate."

Shikamaru eyed the girl, a bored, but annoyed look on his face. "I appreciate how you're talking like I'm not here. I came, didn't I?"

Gaara's unwavering gaze was still upon Shikamaru. "He'll have to do for now," he said, turning to the Village Hidden in Sand, the one he'd sworn to protect, even at the cost of his life. The two followed him, listening as he continued to speak. "Orochimaru's not being as subtle anymore. Four more people were found dead this morning." The village came closer and closer as they continued to walk. Now the three could make out the images of people bustling through the streets.

"Why do you think he's killing people before the real attack starts?" Temari asked, troubled.

"It's hard to tell. Villains are unpredictable in their quest for power. And as far as I can tell, Orochimaru is getting more desperate." Gaara's eyes didn't leave the village as he spoke.

"From what I've heard, he's closer than we think. His plot seems to be well thought-out," Shikamaru said, calculating the information in his mind.

"We'll all have to be our toes," Temari input. "Anything suspicious that happens must be reported."

The group of ninja fell silent as they finally reached the village. Throngs of citizens speedily strolled from destination to destination, baskets on backs, venders calling to potential customers. The three ninja walked along a sidewalk, blending in with their surroundings. Just as they dodged two bikers, Gaara and Temari motioned Shikamaru to a back street where not as many people were sauntering around. A pedestrian bowed to the Kazekage before continuing on his way, not noticing Shikamaru at all.

"We don't want a lot of people knowing you're here. The village has been warned about the threat of attack. But they've agreed to act as if everything is normal. We don't want the enemy to think we're afraid." As Temari spoke quietly to the Konoha teen, Gaara led the way to a tall, massive building in the center of the village. The structure was the tallest in the whole village, a pillar of brick, its foundation built sturdily on the golden sand beneath it. Only unlike other buildings, Shikamaru didn't think this one would blow away or be uprooted if a flood occurred. The building was nearly identical to the one in Shikamaru's own village where the Hokage of Konoha lodged. Apparently, this was where the Kazekage lived as well. "If the people see you arrive as a member of our protection force," Temari continued, "they'll begin to realize the immensity of our problem. Sunaga would only ask for help from other villages if our situation was dire. We don't want chaos."

Shikamaru nodded. Even though he was aching to stretch out on a futon and go to sleep, he couldn't keep the wheels in his brain from spinning in sync with one another at record pace. "You'd rather keep the people in naivete than have them afraid to leave their houses each morning?" Getting an affirmative answer, he shook his head with a sigh. "That's not going to work for long," he pointed out in his lazy drawl.

"Just play along with it for now," Gaara retorted, climbing the steep stairs leading up to the different floors of the Kage Mansion.

As the three ascended, Shikamaru slowly put more space between him and the siblings in the lead. Not only was his over-stuffed backpack weighing him down, but so were his thoughts. So many facts were running through his head right now, and he somehow needed to piece them all together so they all made sense. As his mind turned each item of information over, his eyes wandered to the building he was about to enter. They were very high up now. He wondered how much longer it would take for them to reach the lodging area. So far, as they'd continued to climb, most of the floor's rooms were set aside for storage, whether for the village's supplies, or for the occupants of the mansion. They'd passed a floor completely filled with containers of water - needed in case of a drought in this desert - a floor storing countless weapons of every kind, and a kitchen, fully equipped with fresh produce from the village below.

"Shikamaru," Temari called from above, interrupting his silent reverie. He looked up and saw the two waiting for him at a landing of the stairs where another floor began. In his contemplation, he hadn't realized how far he'd lagged behind. "We don't have all day."

The raven-haired shinobi waved her off as he responded offhandedly, "I'm coming, I'm coming." After a few more dawdling steps he reached them.

"This is where you will stay while you are here," Gaara indicated as he entered the open doorway. Inside, Shikamaru felt an instant cooler atmosphere than out in the merciless sun. The floor was spacious with many windows, letting every ounce of light in. It had a lobby feel - like one of those hotels or dormitories he'd visited where the bathroom wasn't connected to the bedroom, but located down the hall where everyone whose room was in that general vicinity was allowed access to it. This was proven true when Temari pointed out a sign on an passage that read 'Restroom'. The room was divided in half by a long wall of doors, each leading to a separate lodging chamber. Just as they led Shikamaru to one of the bedrooms, someone appeared at the entrance of the floor.

"Lord Gaara, you requested my presence?" The man spoke with a slight bow to his Kazekage. He wore the customary head protection of light cloth to repel the sun's rays away from his face. His face was wise and alert - always a promising prospect.

"Yes. Lieutenant, I want you to meet our arrival from Konoha, Shikamaru Nara. He will help in strategizing our troops' plans for battle." Gaara then turned to Shikamaru. "This is one of the village's most trusted combat commanders. You two will be working together on where and when to strike back."

The lieutenant had a friendly smile as he nodded toward Shikamaru in acknowledgment. "I look forward to working with your expertise, Shikamaru. And I can assure you: you are well protected here."

"Thanks," Shikamaru said in response. But something caught his mind. Taking a step to one of the closest windows, he watched the village below as he thought. Hundreds of residents loitered through the streets, not a care in the world. "But Lieutenant, I have to disagree with you." Turning back to the three, he saw the look of immediate guarded speculation on their faces. "Though these walls are a source of protection, this building is not. Think about it - if an enemy were to attack the village, they wouldn't go after the small things like flower shops or citizens' homes. They'd target where the most power lies." He gestured a hand to the room around them. "This mansion is the object of attraction to enemies. It gives a false sense of security, making those within _feel_ safe, when in actuality, they are in the most dangerous part of the entire village." Meeting each one of their eyes, he continued. "Even though we're inside this mansion, we must always be alert, open-minded to those things that could potentially destroy us from within. But I doubt anyone would attack us head-on here," Shikamaru ended with a lazy shrug.

The lieutenant rose a brow. There was more to this guy than his indolent cover told. But just as he opened his mouth to break the speechless silence that filled the room, he found that Shikamaru's last sentence might have been proved wrong. For just at that moment, a shadowed figure leapt through the open window, arms outstretched in a fighting stance.

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**If you've read this far, something's obviously caught your attention. Please review and give me some feedback. This young amateur needs all the help she can get. Thank you for reading!**


	4. Threat

**I decided to post earlier this month instead of pushing it to the last day. (Last month, was cutting it too close). AND I'll be out and about traveling during the next couple weeks, and will not be accessible to a computer. So, why not post earlier? Thanks to all my reviewers and friends who've read this far. I hope this chapter won't be a disappointment. I'd like to dedicate this chappie to mi amiga whose birthday is on Friday. Happy Birthday, Tensh!**

**Disclaimer: Because I don't want to get in trouble, all copyrights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. He deserves them, too.**

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**Threat**

The new arrival took a step toward the group, face still hidden in the shadow the window cast. With a slight twitch of the figure's fingers, suddenly another indistinct shape rose from outside. This one's posture was slouching, bent almost into a crouch as it dragged itself into the room. Then the first arriver swung his arms as if he was slinging a bag over his shoulders. Immediately, the second figure lurched backward limply. The first shadow then pulled his arms down until they dropped to his sides. The second comer suddenly flew through the air and landed in a heap on the first's back, draping its slack arms over its host's shoulders as the first arriver stepped forward again, this time out of the shadows.

"So, you've made it, huh." Kankuro spoke plainly in greeting Shikamaru, the Crow resting floppily on its master's back. Even though both boys had grown taller, they still looked each other eye-to-eye.

With a weary sigh, Shikamaru answered, "Yep," still reluctant at the expected amount of work he'd soon be doing.

Kankuro listened intently as Gaara, Temari, and the lieutenant explained all that the raven-haired teen would be working on while in Sunaga. He nodded in approval when it was said that Shikamaru and the lieutenant were going to be confidants.

Gaara then turned his full attention to his older brother. "What did you pick up while you were out?"

"Well," Kankuro began, "the village seems normal to the newcomer. But…word got out about the four murders this morning. People are getting scared. Some shops aren't even open because the owners are afraid to leave their houses. If we don't do something to stop these killings, soon the whole village will be in a riot."

Temari's forehead wrinkled in a small frown. "But when Shikamaru and I arrived, most of the citizens seemed to be going about their business as if nothing was wrong. I didn't notice anything weird."

"A good amount of people still believe in following the law, rather than giving into their fear." The lieutenant looked at Gaara. "They're putting a lot of trust in their Kazekage to protect them. A lot of trust in all of us."

Gaara's black-lined eyes ran over the group. "We _won't_ let them down," he uttered in finality.

…

After Shikamaru unpacked and tried to settle in his specified room, Temari appeared in his open doorway, a hand on her hip.

"Are you finished yet?" she asked, annoyed.

"Why? Is dinner ready?" Shikamaru rose to his feet. "I'm starving."

Temari sighed. "Well I guess your poor stomach will have to wait." She turned and waved for him to follow. "I'm taking you on a tour of Sunaga."

Shikamaru stifled a groan. He hadn't eaten since early afternoon. As they stepped outside into the village, the twilight hour only reminded him of how long he'd gone without food. But he supposed this tour would help him know his allies from his enemies. The last thing he wanted to happen was to attack an innocent citizen, mistakenly thinking he/she was a foe.

Temari and Shikamaru strolled through the streets of the village as the sun set. Fewer people were out now that stores were closing down and the workday was coming to an end. It was a peaceful walk, the occasional citizen rushing to get last minute supplies for their evening meal.

Temari pointed out different buildings as they passed them. Shikamaru was glad to note that many of them were structured and in the same location as they were in his own village of Konoha. This would make it easier for him to remember his way around. The Academy was at the southern end of the village. People's homes and property surrounded the ninja school, hospital, and carrier pigeon post office, giving villagers easy access to the most important buildings. The weaponry store, along with all the rest of the shops were situated near the middle of Sunaga, creating a circle of markets around the Kage's Mansion.

As the two headed back to the tall pillar building, Temari saw something new.

"Hey," she murmured more to herself than to Shikamaru, "I've never seen these people around before…"

They approached a shop that looked just like all the others around it. The sign on the two-story building indicated it as a produce store. Two men were out front, sweeping sand and dirt from the doorway of their shop, getting ready for the next day. As Temari and Shikamaru got closer, one of the men stepped quietly inside, leaving his fellow worker out to get the remains of the dust out and onto the street.

"We're closed for the day," the man said when the two reached the doorstep of the shop. "But we open at seven tomorrow morning."

Shikamaru saw that the man was a lot younger than he thought. Wearing an apron, and sweeping with a straw broom, he gave the image of a loyal employee. The glasses perched on the bridge of his nose made him look older than he was.

"What happened to the Gunere family? They used to run this shop." Temari looked up at the building, confusion in her eyes.

"Oh, Gunere-senpai and his family had to move unexpectedly. They needed someone to take over their business on only a few days' notice. My boss bought the shop from them and hired me as his first employee." The guy leaned on his broom and gave the two an amiable smile. "The pay isn't too shabby either. Are you looking for a job?"

Shikamaru gave a lazy shrug, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Nah. I don't work."

Temari shot him a glare out of the corner of her eye. He looked up blamelessly as if to say 'What?'

The employee chuckled at their silent one-sided argument. "I'm about to close shop, so I'll see you guys around, all right?"

It was at that moment that Shikamaru got the distinct feeling that he was being watched. He barely heard when Temari said her farewell, a chill tingling down his back. His dark eyes shifted from one side to the other, trying to find the hidden eyes' source. He knew himself pretty well. And one thing he'd learned throughout the years was that his senses didn't lie. Who was watching him?

Suddenly a jab in his side from Temari pulled him from his silence. "Oh. Yeah. Later." Shikamaru rose a hand as he and the kunoichi left the shop's worker.

"What's the matter with you? Did your parents not teach you how to communicate when you were growing up?" Temari hissed at him as they walked, the sun setting almost completely behind the sandy horizon.

He thought about answering her straightforwardly, but…. "Hn…." He almost laughed quietly at her frustrated face, but he couldn't forget the eyes that'd just been watching his every move. Maybe it'd just been a curious villager wondering about the shinobi arrival from Konoha. But…what if it hadn't been?

Shikamaru tried to shake off the chilling feeling. One thing was for sure: as long as he was here in the Village Hidden in the Sand, he was under constant threat. No matter how much he wished, this wasn't relaxation time. It was one time where he actually had to be serious, giving his full effort. If not, an entire village could be at stake.

Dinner passed all too quickly. But Shikamaru sped through it, thoughts wandering anxiously to the bed that had been calling his name all day. He hadn't had a good night's sleep since…when? In the back of his mind, he'd always been thinking about his friends and their searching to find Sasuke. Inwardly, he shook his head. Uchiha was more than it was worth if it meant that his disappearance took Shikamaru's comrades away in pursuit.

As he stepped out of the dining area and down the hall to his room, Shikamaru's path was blocked as Temari stood in his way.

"And just where do you think you're going?" she asked, arms folded across her chest.

"Bed." Shikamaru stifled a yawn.

Gaara stepped into the hallway, green eyes piercing even in his calmest mood. "Tired already? Your day hasn't ended yet."

When Shikamaru eyed him in disbelief, Kankuro spoke from behind the group. They looked in his direction to see him loading up his puppet, strings of chakra attaching to each of the Crow's movable limbs.

"Ever since these killings started, we three," Kankuro motioned to his siblings and to himself, "have been out guarding the village each night. Temari and I trade shifts, but Gaara stays out all night, for obvious reasons." Gaara couldn't sleep.

Shikamaru refused to let himself believe what he was hearing. Did this mean he'd have to stay awake for another three hours? "So…?"

"Hm," Temari gave him a belittling smirk - not that he really cared. "Is the great Shikamaru not as intelligent as he thinks? Yes, idiot. You'll be helping us patrol tonight. And every night that you're here, for that cause."

Shikamaru didn't bother to try to hide the exasperated look on his face, his shoulders sagging, head dropping with a agnostic grimace. Did these people know how tired he was? Making a three-day trip from Konoha to Sunaga in just two and a half days was no easy feat. How was Temari still standing up straight? He could barely keep his eyes open.

Gaara must have noticed his obvious fatigue, not mistaking it for Shikamaru's usual unwillingness to accept an assignment. "You can take the first shift, if you'd like. Then you can sleep for the rest of the night." Then he looked up at his siblings. "Temari, you take the second shift, and Kankuro, you'll be getting up three hours earlier than you usually do."

As Gaara talked, Shikamaru looked around at their faces. Kankuro and Temari didn't seem disturbed or annoyed at the fact that they were taking orders from their youngest brother. In fact, they seemed glad that he was stepping forward. They looked ready to carry out anything their brother dictated. As a brother and as Kazekage, Gaara was a worthy leader.

Kankuro's glanced toward Shikamaru. One of his fingers twitched and Crow immediately responded, its wooden head moving up till its hollow eyes stared levelly at the raven-haired teen. "Ready?"

Shikamaru and Gaara departed the mansion pillar of tightly packed sand, leaving Temari and Kankuro to their much-needed rest. Gaara silently led the Konoha shinobi to his post, the two leaping quietly from building to building of the village as light after light inside houses flicked off, people heading to bed.

Letting out a big yawn, Shikamaru looked at Gaara gracefully leaping even with the heavy gourd of sand on his back. "How do you do it?"

Gaara rose an eyebrow in his direction, asking a silent question.

"How do you…not sleep? You've got to be tired. Do you even remember the last time you laid your head down and rested your eyes?" Shikamaru curiously questioned.

Gaara's face twitched as he fought back some hidden emotion. "Yes. All too clearly. I…almost destroyed innocent people. Innocent shinobi and kunoichi that are now my village's allies. Shinobi and kunoichi I will forever be indebted to." He thought back to the battle where he'd nearly assassinated Konoha's own Cell 7. If he hadn't woken up in time, who knew where he - or more importantly - Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto would be? Naruto. Just the mention of his friend's name still hit him with awe. Gaara hadn't known before that fateful day that the loudmouthed blonde had so much in common with him. Since then, Gaara had tried to live up to the standard Naruto had set for him. Tried to become someone whom people needed, depended on. That was what his existence meant to him now.

Gaara turned his attention back to Shikamaru. "To answer your other question, my not being able to sleep doesn't upset me anymore. Instead of focusing on what I can't do, I pay attention to what I _can_ do during sleepless nights. Possessing a biju allows me at least eight extra hours of work time - extra hours to protect my village. The lives of Sunaga depend upon me. And I will _not_ put them in jeopardy just so their Kazekage can get some hours of destructive shut-eye."

The determination in Gaara's voice made Shikamaru's eyes widen as he contemplated on this new knowledge. For some reason, he felt at that moment that he was in the Kazekage's shoes. Thousands of lives depended on Gaara's skills and detection. It was he that everyone looked to, thought of, when they heard the name Sunagakure. That alone was enough to make Shikamaru cringe away. How could anyone accept that much responsibility? At only fourteen years of age, Gaara probably held more accountability than Shikamaru'd ever hold in his life. Than he'd ever want in his life. Right then, Shikamaru looked up to Gaara more than he ever had.

"We're here," the red-haired kage spoke, breaking Shikamaru's thoughts.

The Konoha shinobi looked up, registering where he was for the first time. Gaara had led them to one of the only densely treed outskirts of the village, giving a view of Sunaga's Academy and citizen's homes. Trees stood tall, large leaves hovering above their heads as the two stood on a branch extended from a thick trunk. The trees here were almost identical to the ones in Shikamaru's village. That thought made him realize how much he missed his home. His dad. His mom. His friends. His bed. Especially his bed, he thought with another yawn.

"I'll be at the other end of the village, patrolling around there." Gaara prepared to leap off to his own post, then paused, turning back to Shikamaru. "Stay awake," he commanded in his quiet, calm, but yet powerful voice before jumping off in a blurred flash.

Easy for you to say, Shikamaru thought as he took a seat, his back leaning against the sturdy trunk of the tree he was on, legs dangling in midair from the tall-suspended branch. He needed to keep his mind active, or else he _would_ fall asleep. He cringed when he thought of what Temari would do if she came in three hours and he was snoring away. No. He wouldn't fall asleep.

His thoughts wandered back to the game of Shogi he and his dad had been playing when Shizune had whisked him away. Was the game board still set up? Or had his mom shoved the pieces into the box when she set dinner on the table? He flinched at the thought that she had. Even though his lazy attitude covered most of his tiny competitive nature, one thing he hated was to leave things unfinished. Especially a game of Shogi. He relished in outsmarting, overpowering, and breaking through his opponent's defense. Nothing felt better than his brain working in overdrive, knowing he was gaining the upper hand in a strategic game. Especially a game of Shogi. The thing that bothered him the most about leaving his game was that his side of the competition had been overbearing. The game was one move away from being over when he was forced away from it. If he could have just made that one last move, his mind would have been put to rest. Just one more move.

At about the three-hour mark, a breeze flew through the trees, leaves floating as the wind moved past. Shikamaru breathed in the refreshing air, the coolness rushing in and out of his lungs, keeping him from drifting off. As the breeze fluttered the leaves, Shikamaru suddenly heard something that the light wind shouldn't have caused.

A twig snapped behind him.

Shikamaru instantly stiffened, ears craning to hear any other sound. Ninja senses enhanced as the adrenaline pulsed through his veins.

Another snap. This one quieter. Closer.

As soon as Shikamaru's eyes darted to the side, it happened quickly. He wouldn't have known what it was if not for the years of training he'd completed. The years of handling various weapons, feeling the cold metal in his hands before flinging them weightlessly through the air at an opponent. No, Shikamaru wouldn't have known what was happening if not for those years, being a shinobi in the making.

For at that moment, he felt the distinct, piercing, thin line, the icy, ruthless metal blade of a kunai pressing into his neck.

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**Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's a major turning point in the story. Please review and tell me what you thought of it. Thanks again for reading!**


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